An explosion destroys a duplex in Stoughton. No one is seriously injured. Fire officials say a natural gas leak may be to blame.

Charter Communications announces that it will cut 15 jobs in the Madison area as part of a corporate restructuring.

12.26 Friday

County officials say they will discipline the 911 operator who mishandled a call from Brittany Zimmermann's cell phone the day she was murdered. Rita Gahagan, who is now working in another county department, gets suspended without pay for three days. Officials also release records showing that in 2007 Gahagan failed to make sure firefighters knew someone might be trapped inside a burning home. The 72-year-old victim died of smoke inhalation, but officials say Gahagan's mistake was not a factor in this death.

A fire causes $5,000 in damage to White Knight Carpet Cleaning on the east side. Fire officials say ice and snow falling from the roof dislodged a natural gas pipe, and the furnace ignited the leaking gas.

Nicholas Brazier, 24, of Sun Prairie, is charged with burglary. Brazier allegedly hid in the bathroom at Beef O'Brady's, where he used to work, and waited until the bar closed, before robbing the place.

Orin Woodfin, 24, is charged with stealing a car from an elderly couple outside the Target store on Junction Road. Woodfin allegedly took the car after the 90-year-old driver left it running while he went inside to help his wife, who has trouble walking. Police say Woodfin later returned the owner's Christmas gifts to Target for store credit, pawned the woman's electric scooter, and then tried to sell the car.

12.28 Sunday

Former Madison Ald. Betty Smith dies at age 90. Smith, a Republican, served on the Common Council in the 1970s. Smith's memoir, My Life in Politics, was published last month.

12.29 Monday

Workers at the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District treatment plant mistakenly mix two chemicals, releasing chlorine gas that sickens two people. Madison's hazardous material team is sent to clean up the plant.

A fire causes $25,000 in damage to a house on Hooker Avenue on the north side. No one is injured. Fire officials say the blaze was sparked by an oversized light bulb in a recessed light fixture.

A 29-year-old Madison man is discovered dangling from the Beltline overpass at South Gammon Road. Police rescue the man, then Taser him when he becomes belligerent.

UW researchers, led by Yoshihiro Kawaoka, announce they have isolated three genes that made the 1918 flu pandemic so deadly. The discovery could help scientists develop drugs to treat future outbreaks.